Tampa resident in CBS' The Amazing Race
As I have said before in this space, reality TV shows love to cast Floridians.
And CBS has proven my point yet again by featuring Tampa resident Tina Greene competing with her ex-NFL player husband Ken Greene in the network's 11th installment of its Emmy-winning, globe trotting competition,The Amazing Race.
Local residents may recognize Mrs. Greene as Tina Hunter Stewart, president of the Tampa-based executive search firm BioPharmMed. According to CBS, Tina has separated from Ken -- who was, according to the Seattle Times, discharged from an assistant coaching job at Washington State University last year (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2003718196_coug23.html) for unspecified misconduct.
The network says Tina, who lives in Tampa, and Ken, who lives in San Diego, are looking to reconnect. Ken once played for the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Chargers, but now works as a home builder. CBS also says he is competitive and athletic while she is controlling and needs to relax. I can see the fatigue-fueled arguments over driving directions in Caracas now!
Amazing Race is considered one of TV's better reality shows, with a five Emmy wins (though host Phil Keoghan was criminally overlooked for a best host nomination this year; I'll have some quotes from him in a few weeks from a converatin with him in Los Angeles about it).
The drill seems the same for the 13th cycle, which begins airing Sept. 28 at 8 p.m. It's a 30,000-mile race across five continents in 23 days includng countries such as Cambodia and Kazakhstan for a $1-million grand prize. Just the sort of laid back environment to make marriage reconciliation easy.
I love them, from the little I've seen of their interviews/video, I think Ken has a snarky sense of humor, and I love snark.Thank you. Oh, you're talking about Ken the racer. My bad. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Yeah, I feel bad for them the way they're being branded. It's probably not LITERALLY their last chance... nonetheless, I expect we'll see a loooot of fighting from these two :pull
She knows it sounds insane — trying to fix a marriage fractured by separation and infidelity by embarking on a globe-hopping, nationally televised reality TV show.
Though local businesswoman Tina Hunter Greene can't divulge details of her and husband Ken Greene's time on the 13th cycle of CBS's hit travel competition The Amazing Race, the twinkle in her eyes when her partner's name comes up may say it all.
Greene, 49, won't say whether her husband is moving from his California home to Tampa, noting the progression of their relationship is a story line on the show. But she does say that, from the moment they began filling out CBS's 13-page application, she knew their time on The Amazing Race would make or break their reconciliation.
"I learned a lot of things about how Ken looked at me, and how I looked at him that I didn't really know," Greene said. "You either grow to respect and love your partner, or you don't. And that will all be played out on TV."
Crisp and cheery in a fire engine red suit, Greene seems more urbane professional than globe-hopping competitor. But when the opportunity came to apply for the show last November, she suggested to her husband, an ex-professional football player, that they film a video to try for a slot.
"I didn't seek out the Race to save the marriage, but it came at a time that we were at a make-or-break situation," she said.
He was a former player for the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Diego Chargers who migrated to college coaching at Fresno State, Purdue and finally Washington State. She was a well-traveled, hard-charging business owner willing to move from Tampa to Washington state for their marriage about five years ago.
But last year, something happened. A commercial for Race depicts Ken Greene admitting an infidelity, and he resigned as cornerbacks coach for WSU in May 2007.
Tina Greene declined to comment on the specifics of her husband's mistakes or job change. But the two were living in separate cities by the end of 2007 — she in Tampa and he in San Diego, where he was working as a home builder.
Ask whether their stint on Race might be the most expensive marriage counseling ever, she laughs.
"One of the producers said to me, when I was waffling a bit on doing this, 'If you do this race, when you step off the plane, you will know whether you want to be with this man.' "
Still, when friend Mary Ann Massolio heard Greene was competing, she thought her pal was participating in some local version of the CBS hit.
"Once I figured out what she meant, it made perfect sense," said Massolio, executive director of the Children's Cancer Center, which provides counseling, financial assistance and other support to the families of children struggling with cancer.
Now, Greene is chairwoman of the center's board — a volunteer so focused, one of her first questions was how to best promote the group on the show.
"She's very athletic, she's very driven and they have an interesting story," Massolio said. "I thought 'If you want to go public with that, God love you . . . Go for it.' "
To prepare, Greene jogged with 30-pound weights, trained with an ex-officer from MacDill Air Force Base and brainstormed strategies with Ken.
She got sick, notching a fever of 103 degrees, while competing in a 30,000-mile race across five continents in 23 days (CBS revealed the race starts in Brazil, ends on Portland, Ore. and has 11 pit stops total). A $1-million prize and national fame waiting at the end for the winner.
"We get to take the ordinary everyday person . . . and say, 'Here's an experience that even a million dollars couldn't buy,' " host Phil Keogan said in July. Last Sunday, he helped accept the show's record sixth Emmy as best reality TV show.
"What really works is when people come to the show, not because they want to be famous . . . (but) because they want to change their perspective," he said.
"God put this in our lives at this time for a very specific reason," Greene said. "Even though it was extremely tough and I wouldn't like to play out my personal life on national TV, hopefully we'll touch some lives and it might help others."
When we met in Tampa, businesswoman Tina Hunter Greene came off as energetic and personable -- though her eye for detail was revealed when she noticed a dying plant in her office boardroom during our photo shoot.
But another side of Greene was shown during tonight's debut episode of the 13th cycle of CBS's hit unscripted global competition, The Amazing Race.
During an hourlong episode documenting her and once-estranged husband Ken Greene competing against 10 other two-person teams to travel from Los Angeles to a pit stop in Salvador, Brazil, Tina Greene was revealed as a hard-nosed competitor with a bit of a barbed tongue.
Her husband Ken may have been a former pro football player and college football coach, but it was Tina Greene who was shown barking orders for much of the episode, pushing Ken to use any language skills he might have to communicate with the local cab drivers, and egging him into driving past competing teams in the initial race to drive to Los Angeles International Airport from the race's starting point in the city.
But tonight's episode showed her mostly pushing Ken to move faster -- with hints during the preview for next week's episode that their alliance with another team may cause some friction with their fellow racers.
"Sometimes I may come off like the Wicked Witch of the West, sometimes I may come off like Mother Teresa," Tina Greene told me last week, noting that she gave away some of her clothing to people she met during the race.
I wrote a feature on Tina Greene for today's Floridian, documenting her idea of competing in the race as a way of determining once and for all whether she will stay married to Ken -- who admitted during the show that he cheated on Tina in the past, fracturing their marriage.
Ken was expected to be in Tampa today for a private viewing party the couple arranged at the Westshore Yacht club tonight. In this week's episode, Ken and Tina are shown placing second in the scramble to reach the first pit stop, leading viewers to believe they might be around for some time to come.
TAMPA - It's one episode down and how many more to go?Reporter Walt Belcher can be reached at (813) 259-7654 or wbelcher@tampatrib.com.
Tina Hunter Greene can't say how far she and her estranged husband, Ken, make it on "The Amazing Race."
But Sunday night the couple were holding hands and giving high-fives at a watching party where about 50 friends and co-workers gathered to cheer them on to victory.
Tina, who runs BioPharmMed, a Tampa-based executive recruiting firm, and Ken, a former NFL defensive back who is now a San Diego-based building contractor, are among the 11 couples selected for the 13th season of the reality series.
Sunday, viewers saw them make it through to the first leg of the 30,000-mile trek that will unfold over the next 13 weeks.
There were cheers, squeals of excitement and laughter at the watching party whenever Tina Greene was on camera. On the first episode, Tina was intense and impatient while Ken was laid back.
"It was the adventure of a lifetime and the hardest thing I have ever done," says Tina, the first contestant from Tampa to be on the Emmy-winning reality show.
"It was just amazing," adds Ken Greene. The Greenes can't say how far they went or whether the journey saved their troubled marriage. They can't speak to the media again until their "Race" journey ends.
In the opening episode, Tina, 49, and Ken, 52, arrived at the first destination near the head of the pack. An elderly hippie couple, Arthur and Anita Jones from Eugene, Ore., came in last and were the first to be eliminated.
The Greenes entered the race for more than the $1 million prize. The couple were seeking to repair their marriage. They separated last year after more than six years of marriage. It was revealed on the program Sunday that Ken had cheated on her. Viewers saw him admit that he made a mistake and wanted to make it up to her.
Ken is a former All-American college standout who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Diego Chargers before leaving the NFL in 1984. He coached at Fresno State, Purdue and Washington State.
"We are both in good shape and we like extreme outdoor adventure vacations," Tina says.
On the first episode, their skills were put to the test as the teams dashed off from Los Angeles and ended up in Brazil, where they had to climb 240 feet down a cargo net that stretched from the side of a building to the street.
The race was taped earlier this year and covers 23 days with stops in Bolivia, New Zealand, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, India and Russia before returning to America to wrap up in Portland, Ore.
I could fall in love with KenYes, look deep into my eyes. :lol: :lol:
:luvx :kuss:I could fall in love with KenYes, look deep into my eyes. :lol: :lol:
you are trying to steal them from me (i think you like ken) what are you top 3 teams for this season :knuckles:My top 3 are in the final 4, you guess which ones they are, lol
By the time it was opened three hours later, all the other teams had caught up, eliminating their advantage.:groan: What is going on with this crazy race!?
An interview with Ken and Tina:
Ken and Tina: The Only MARRIED Couple Who Actually Repaired Their Relationship In Amazing Race History
I thought the GreeneTeam was them. They were our newest member around a week ago :cmas5Yeah I think its Ken and Tina too but we need to lure them out and show them how much we love them :luvu:
I met them too, Mrs Shrek. Ken was very nice and very approachable to talk with. I'll be honest, I didn't know if I would like this team, but I ended up loving them.
God Bless you Kiwi and Puddin!!!! We so appreciate your support and love!!! It has been absolutely astounding the outpouring of emails, posts to our website, facebook etc.......from around the world. I feel humbled that we did in fact touch some lives.......and in the process our own lives were touched in such a positive way. I will absolutely come back and see how you and everyone is doing on RFF and keep you posted on any new developments with us. You may even see us "renew our vows" on TV and possibly some Adventure Travel trips, etc.........Who Knows?!?!?!?! XOXOXOXO, T
God Bless you Kiwi and Puddin!!!! We so appreciate your support and love!!! It has been absolutely astounding the outpouring of emails, posts to our website, facebook etc.......from around the world. I feel humbled that we did in fact touch some lives.......and in the process our own lives were touched in such a positive way. I will absolutely come back and see how you and everyone is doing on RFF and keep you posted on any new developments with us. You may even see us "renew our vows" on TV and possibly some Adventure Travel trips, etc.........Who Knows?!?!?!?! XOXOXOXO, T
nd then saw Dan & Andrew running through the entrance so we raced after them.......of course we got no payback help on finding the clue box.....
TarAsia - YES....the wooden bikes in Bolivia seemed the most dangerous of all we did on the Race!!!! Our photographer was on the back of a 4 wheeler and one on a bike and they said Ken and I were clocked through the tunnel going 35 mph......XOXOXO, T
Tina,100% I agree with TARAsia :jumpy:
If TAR could ever bring back a team every season, I would want it to be you.
Thanks for the support!!! After the Super Bowl and a few more appearances I will get into a doc for sure!"After the Super Bowl" << some have their priorities :lol: I am not surprised at all! "a few more appearances" Do tell Tina!!
I hope you can find that commercial Puddin.....it was so awesome....many of our favorite TV shows over the years!!! Would be a great memory to keep on our DVD collection.
Hugs all around, :-[ T
When you arrive to prepare for the start line of the race each team is given a number.....they may have significance but appeared random to me....and you put the # on your backpack.
Yes...we thought that was one of the best articles yet!
Still hoping someone on their DVR's from January has the CBS clip with I love Lucy and Ken, Phil and I on final mat......it ran the first few weeks of January....noone seems to have a copy!?!?!?!?!
When you arrive to prepare for the start line of the race each team is given a number.....they may have significance but appeared random to me....and you put the # on your backpack.
"HAPPY VALENTINE"S DAY" everyone......you can still book a romantic getaway or buy French chocolates or a spa certificate for your sweetie @ http://www.KennyandTina.com
Love & Hugs to all :hearts: T
When you arrive to prepare for the start line of the race each team is given a number.....they may have significance but appeared random to me....and you put the # on your backpack.
Hi Tina, could the number just be a marker for the cameraman/soundman? So they knows which team to follow?
Ken and Tina would be one of the best winners ever if they had won :'(I agree with you! Even though it was obvious who would win!
Ken and Tina would be one of the best winners ever if they had won :'(I agree with you! Even though it was obvious who would win!
:tup:
Their evolving relationship was a huge story in Season 13. I would have loved to see them pull out a win over the Spangler siblings!
Any help in garnering votes by Wed. night is appreciated! We raised a lot of money in our inaugural Polo Event for The Children's Cancer Center but would love to add $300 more! Warmly, Tina
Love you Peach & ALL the wonderful TAR Fans;). :<3
We raised over $40,000 at our Inaugural Polo Event for Children's Cancer & hope to add $300 more through the "Best Hat" Competition!
Love you Peach & ALL the wonderful TAR Fans;). :<3
We raised over $40,000 at our Inaugural Polo Event for Children's Cancer & hope to add $300 more through the "Best Hat" Competition!
So pleased with teams using TV shows to raise money for good purposes. :hearts: :hearts: :hearts: :hearts: :hearts: :hearts: :hearts: :hearts: :hearts: :hearts: :hearts: :hearts: :hearts: :hearts: :hearts: :hearts:
Voted!